Upfront Update 2012: Nickmom: Born to be Funny - Simon Applebaum

With assistance from Electric Light Orchestra welcome back my friends to the show that never ends known as Upfront event seasonBetween now and midMay an assortment of television networks will trump their new primetime programming selections for fall and beyond Most networks involved have made this public ritual before while some will be new to the process and a few will reenter after considerable time away No matter what interest you have with Upfronts figure on a recordshattering number of new series announcementsUpfront newcomer TVOne kicked off the 2011 cycle a year ago with a wellreceived lunch at Cipriani39s Grand Central Station stop Leave it to another newcomer for the same honor last week Nickmom the allnew primetime lineup on preschoolfocused diginet Nick Jr showing mothers the funny starting this fallAs we did last year we39ll rate these presentations in four categories venue format news and host then wrap with an overall gradeVenue Edison Ballroom the former Supper Club on W 47th St near Times Square is the kind of place wellsuited to play home to comedians or intro a network39s comedyminded daypart The setting is intimate with booths on the sides and a balcony Nick touched up the modest stage with a centralized purple wall of playthings lounge chair for mom and high chair for baby However you had to sit in the center of each row to really appreciate the surrounding Grade 4 JacksPresentation If you39re going to do programming created for moms by moms who make a living with humor of course you place your chips on standup mom comics Nickmom spaced a trio throughout its pitch Caroline Rhea leading off Sherry Davey midway and Wanda Sykes at the close Topical laugh honors goes to Rhea quotLove Eli Manning I know what it39s like to score conceive a child with seconds left on the clockquot Sykes had the crowd in stiches with her kidraising views and Davey scored with jibes on Oliver Twist and its musical adaptation Oliver Unusual touch a video on Nickelodeon39s quotUnMommedquot research experiment separating mothers from their family for a weekend Grade 45 JacksNews Not much to sink into because only one series is finalized and much more isn39t including the premiere date Like many other standup showcase series NickMom Night Out will rise or fall depending on how good the comics and their material are Of the developing prospects highlighted via clips The Jodi ampamp Kate Show featuring a pair of video bloggers Mommy Double parenting reality program and Oblivious onlocation game show look the most promising Wish there was a clip of The 5th Hour a proposed morning show satire headed by Daily Show cocreator Madeliene Smithberg Did detail solid ad support from Johnson ampamp Johnson Target and General Mills joining previouslyannounced advertiser Reckitt Benckiser Grade 25 JacksHost Nickelodeon Group president Cyma Zarghami moved things along well and didn39t get fazed following Rhea39s intro of her as a quotkickass rocking chickquot When was the last time a TV network leader walked on stage with such an attribute Any guesses Grade 4 JacksOverall Grade 35 Jacks Right length comedians on their quotAquot kidraising game and a solid presentation Now if we only had the key details allmost programming in place premiere dateThere39s a lot of great things to say about Smash which launched on NBC last week Broadway talent in every aspect of the series from writing to songwriting a nifty pulse on the musicalmaking process and breakout turns by Katherine McPhee and Megan Hulty I39m pulling for the audience out there to embrace Smash on its own terms not as a Gleetype alternative which it isn39t I39m also pulling for all involved to deal immediately with what39s missing from this series diversity Again as was the case with every new fall scripted series on NBC CBS The CW and Fox not one lead actor of color and few supporting actors of color Not to mention chorus singers and dancers of color As shows like In The Heights Sister Act Memphis and other currentrecent Broadway musicals demonstrate diversity rules Come on Smash show us the color5 Jacks amp8211 Excellent4 Jacks amp8211 Very Good3 Jacks amp8211 Good2 Jacks amp8211 Fair1 Jack amp8211 Poor0 Jacks amp8211 Worse than badUntil the next time stay well and stay tunedSimon Applebaum is producerhost of Tomorrow Will Be Televised the weekly Internetdistributed radio program covering the TV scene Simon cal be reached at simonapple04yahoocomRead all Simonamp8217s MediaBizBloggers commentaries at Tomorrow Will Be TelevisedCheck us out on Facebook at MediaBizBloggerscomFollow our Twitter updates MediaBizBloggerThe opinions and points of view expressed in this commentary are exclusively the views of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaBizBloggerscom management or associated bloggers MediaBizBloggers is an open thought leadership platform and readers may share their comments and opinions in response to all commentaries

Become a Thought Leader. Share your thought leadership article with industry professionals & have them archived in Thought Leadership

Upfront Update 2012: Nickmom: Born to be Funny - Simon Applebaum

Author

Publish date

Channel

Simon Applebaum

"About That with Carl Mayer:" Alaina Donnellon (Episode 10: Political Spending) - By Carl Mayer

More Videos:

Become a Thought Leader. Share your thought leadership article with industry professionals & have them archived in Thought Leadership

Upfront Update 2012: Nickmom: Born to be Funny - Simon Applebaum

Enjoying This Commentary? There's More to Love

Simon Applebaum

"About That with Carl Mayer:" Alaina Donnellon (Episode 10: Political Spending) - By Carl Mayer

The payment was successful

Cookies